Running-gear construction.



E. GRUENFELDT.

RUNNING GEAR CONSTRUCTION.

' APPLICATION FILED D30. 28, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET E. GRUENPELDT. V RUNNING GEAR CONSTRUCTION. APPLIGATIONFILED DEC. 28, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.eaxle 2, front wheels 3 ED s res? SIGNCIR TO THE BAKER A CORPORATIUN 6FOHIO.

Application filed December 28, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all carom it may concern:

it .nown that 1, Earn; Gnonnrnnnr, a subject o l. the, llniperor ofGermany, residing at Clevehnid, in the county of Cuyahoga and St toOhio, have invented certain new and tlfekitll Improvements in andRelating to Running-Gear Construction, of which the following is aspecification.

.This invention relates to running gear 'mechanism for motor orself-propelled vehicles.

For the purpose of illustration, I have in the aozompanying' drawingsshown, and herein described, one form of running gear mechanismembodying my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile embodying my invention,one rear wheel being removed. Figs. '2 and 3 are views illustratingdetails of construction, somewhat enlarged. Fig". 4: is a View partly inside elev tion of the n1 ersal joints; it Figs. 5 and. 6 are viewsillustrating modifications of certain oi. the parts shown in Figs, 2 and3. Fig. 7

a side elevation ing the modification of the invention applied thereto.Fig. 8 is a plan View of the rear of the automobile, the body of thevehicle being removed. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the axle, parts beingbroken away.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a selfpropelled or motor vehicle comprisinga-car body 1*,- frame 1*, front springs 1, front ,an engine or motor 4suitably geared to a drive or propeller shaft- 5, which in turn issuitably geared to a rear axle (3. This rear aXle (i may be of any wellknown construction. In the drawings 6 indicates the housing and 6" oneof the shaft or live axle sections mounted in the housing. T" indicatesa rear drive wheel which is socured to the other of the driven shaft oraxle sections (3 (not shown).

The drive-or propeller shaft 5 in the cm bodimcnt illustrated, as anentirety, includes two universal joints 5", 5" and a longitudin'allyslidable connection 5.

e parts just'described may be of any general or special construction, asdesired, and torn} no part of my invention.

8 indicates a. spring or vehicle. Preferably they are full-elliptic inform and interposed between the ,axle housing 6 and the frame 1",

one'at either side of frame,,only one of said springs and partly insection of one of an automobile, showsprings for the l I l bei isrigidly I to sec axl a l to Serial No. 535.229.

ng shown.

restarts ension 1 EMTIL GRUIENFELDT. OF CLEVELAND, OHIG. AS

a I MGTOR VEHICLE GQE IPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO Patented J one *7, 19m.

The lower halt of each spring secured. as by a bolt or cl a spring seat8*, which in turn is rigidly ured or toru'ied integral vri th the rear ehousing 6 in any well. known manner.

for pi vota .C

)late 9 h the said spring stud shaft 9 carried bv an laterally from theframe l and ext end into the said aperture 9 lly securing of the spring8 to the vehicle These means preferably comprise aving an aperture 9" bystraps 9", 9, and a. pin

d extending arranged to The aperture 9 may be provided with suitablebearngs for the shaft 9, and the latter may at its outer end be screwthreaded nut 9 ,,t0 maintaii position;

to receive a 1 the )late 9 in )roner In carrying out the purpose andobject of my invention I pivotally connec each spring 8, pretera thebody 1 ,ingshaft rec at understood th connect ion 1 to the frame 1 t oneend of My the front end there-- These connections prefbly comprise abracket or arm 10 fixed to shown in I each formed with ei'vea pivot pin10, the axis righta-ngles to the shaft 10.

and carrying a laterally extendwhich is arranged the rear axle 6, and alink m swingab'ly mounted a parallel to ember 10 t one end upon the allyconnected at its opthe front end of the adiacent F 4 and is constructedof two apertures to of which is It will. be

at this construction forms at may be termed a universal joint or ietweenthe frontend of the spring 8 and the frame l whereby the latter mayniovevertically bodily and to simultaneously oscillate or rock on axes londinal of the body Without her of the lower axle, and to connect thetrout end 0' tion of these connections.

'etot'ore proposed affecting the opbeen aine, v mg E the spring by anadjustable strut to the frame,

. for chain ad United States N 0. dated February 2nd, '190 l.

construction as the said patented for red to Willnot accomplish t 'ustinur oses for example, ent of the J. inndsay,

However, such a halt one inst rehe same to sults as are obtainable withmy invention, wherein the connections between the frame, r'ear axle andfull elliptic spring are such that the spring serves in addition to itsfunctions which are essentially characterl istic of full ellipticsprings the additional l functions both of a radius and a torsion rod. yActing as a radius rod, it tends to prevent I and absorb or correct anytendency of the l rear axle to increase the distance between it i andthe axis of the stud 10, Acting as a i torsion rod, it tends to preventand absorb l or correct any tendency of the rear axle housing to turnbodily, clockwise or anticlockwise, about the axis of the shaft section6, due to any shock, strain or impulse'trans- 1 mitted from thepropeller shaft 5 or otherwise to the rear axle.

\Vhat I claim is I 1. In a device of the character described, thecombination with a self-propelled vehicle comprising a frame, a frontaxle, a rear live axle, and a motor driven shaft for driving the liveaxle sections of said rear 1 axle and journaled in the housing of saidrear axle, of full elliptic springs, one at' either side of the frame,interposed between the said live axle housing and the said frame, eachof said springs havin its lower half rigidly secured to the live ax ehousing, means for pivotally connecting the upper half of each spring tothe frame, and links, each pivotally connected at its upper end to thefront end of the adjacent spring, and at its lower end having a pivotalconnection with said frame.-

2. In a device of the character described, the combination in a motorvehicle having a frame, a motor thereon, a front axle, a rear live axleand a propeller shaft arranged longitudinally of said frame and gearedat its front end to said motor and at its rear end to said rear liveaxle, said propeller shaft being journaled in the housing thereof, offull elliptic springs, one at either side of said frame, each of saidsprings having 1 its lower half rigidly connected to the rear axlehousing, means piyotally connecting the upper half of each spring to theframe, and

elliptic springs,

links, each pivotally connected at its upperend to the front end of theadjacent spring and at its lower end having pivotal connection with saidframe on an axis at right angles to the axis of the propeller shaft andthereabove.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with aself-propelled vehicle comprising a frame, a front axle, a rear liveaxle, and a motor driven shaft-for driving the live axle sections ofsaid rear axle and journaled in rear axle, of full elliptic springs, oneat either side of the frame, interposed between the said live axlehousing and the said frame, each of said springs having its lower halfrigidly secured to the live axle housing, means for pivotally connectingthe upper half of each spring to the frame, and links, .each pivotallyconnected at its upper end to the front end of the adjacent spring, andat its lower end having universal pivotal connection with said frame,

4. In a device of the character described, the combination in a motorvehicle having a frame,a motor thereon, a front axle, a rear live axleand a propeller-shaft comprising telescoping members and arrangedlongitudinally of said frame and geared at its front end to said motorand at its rear end to said rear axle, said propeller shaft beingjournaled in the rear axle housing, of full one at either side of saidframe, each of said springs having its lower half rigidly connected tothe rear axle housing, means pivotally connecting the upper half of eachspring to the frame, and links, each pivotally connected at itsupper-end to the front end of'the adjacent spring and at its lower endhaving pivotal connection with said frame on an axis at right angles tothe axis of the propeller shaft and thereabove.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

EMIL GRUENFELDT. \Vitnesses Y EDWARD R. ALEXANDER, Gno. B. Prr'rs.

the housing of said

